The present invention relates to controllers for manipulating or operating parameters related to audio signal processing.
In the field of audio signal processing apparatus using a computer, it has heretofore been known to perform audio processing, such as recording, editing, mixing etc. of performance data, through digital signal processing. Apparatus, such as mixers, which are constructed to adjust a plurality of tone signals, have not only a function of adjusting sound volume settings of individual channels via faders or knobs, but also a function of, in response to operation of a given button, sounding a particular channel (i.e., generating a tone for the particular channel, or setting the particular channel in a solo mode) or muting the particular channel (or setting the particular channel in a mute mode). Some of such apparatus have, in addition to the aforementioned functions, a function of returning a sound volume setting to an initial value or reference value. Examples of such conventionally-known techniques are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2007-74359, and Yamaha Digital Mixing Studio n8/n12 Instruction Manual, pp 12-17, [online], Internet <http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/emi/japan/xg/n12_ja_om_e0.pdf>.
The conventionally-known audio signal processing apparatus have many functions, so that necessary parameters for the entire apparatus have been increasing in number. Because of the many functions, a multiplicity of controls (operators) are required for setting the individual functions and adjusting corresponding parameters, which would undesirably result in an increased size of the audio signal processing apparatus and increased cost of component parts of the apparatus. Further, because of the multiplicity of controls, it tends to be very difficult for a user to find a desired one of the controls, so that a considerable amount of time would be required before the user can operate the desired control. In order to avoid such inconveniences, some users have heretofore employed an approach of allocating a plurality of functions to any one of the controls and causing the one control to selectively perform any one of the allocated functions depending on an operation mode of the apparatus or on a currently displayed screen. With such an approach, however, the user has to switch between various operation modes of the apparatus or between various screens in order to perform a desired one of the allocated functions, which would take a considerable amount of time and labor.